“A city in Sicily has recorded Europe’s hottest-ever temperature, meteorologists have said.
“Syracuse, located on the island’s south-east coast, saw the mercury rise to 48.8C [119.84F] on Wednesday, according to the daily newspaper Corriere della Sera, citing data from Sicily’s Agrometeorological Information System (SIAS).
“If this temperature is confirmed, it will beat the previous European high of 48.0C, seen in Athens in 1977. Although this long-standing record is accepted by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), it is disputed by some climatologists and meteorologists.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/europe-record-temperature-sicily-italy-b1900917.html
“Hell on Earth: Italy battles ‘Lucifer’ heat wave, wildfires.
“As major wildfires continued to rage across Italy, causing huge damage throughout the country, a blistering heat wave has also been sweeping the European nation, adding fuel to fires in the south.”
https://www.dailysabah.com/life/environment/hell-on-earth-italy-battles-lucifer-heat-wave-wildfires
“Experts eye unstable glacier within Italy’s Mont Blanc…
“A massive block of ice from the Whymper serac measuring 15,000 square metres tumbled to the ground last October, a day after authorities had prohibited access to paths underneath.”
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210811-experts-eye-unstable-glacier-within-italy-s-mont-blanc
“Alicante [Spain] has been hit by a meteotsunami which flooded streets and beaches and damaged cars after severe changes in atmospheric pressure…
“These are large, tsunami-like waves are triggered by severe changes in atmospheric pressure caused by fast-moving weather events, such as a heatwave.”
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/spanish-tourist-resort-santa-pola-meteotsunami-b950245.html
“Greece wildfires: Thousands living in evacuation centres as flames ravage homes…
“There are some who’ve chosen not to leave their homes at all. Staying against evacuation orders, thinking there’s somehow something they can do to save their property if they’re there in person.”
https://news.sky.com/story/greece-wildfires-thousands-living-in-evacuation-centres-as-flames-ravage-homes-12379256
“Tunisia swelters in record temperatures.
“The temperature in Tunis reached 48 degrees Celsius at midday (118 Fahrenheit), smashing the capital’s previous record high of 46.8 degrees, registered in 1982.” [Also, Tunisia broke its national record on the 11th August reaching 50.3C [122.54F], the highest temp ever reliably recorded in the country.]
https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/tunisia-swelters-record-temperatures
“Algeria declares three days of mourning as wildfire death toll reaches 69.
“Images of trapped villagers, terrified livestock and forested hillsides reduced to blackened stumps, were shared on social media, many accompanied by pleas for help. AFP journalists saw villagers desperately trying to put out the spreading fires with makeshift brooms in an effort to save their homes.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/11/algeria-declares-three-days-of-mourning-after-wildfire-deaths
“The official death toll from floods and torrential rains this year has risen to 24 across the states of Sudan. Many of the victims died from electrocution, or when buildings and houses collapsed.
“In a press statement yesterday the Sudanese National Council for Civil Defence said that an estimated 819 houses have been completely destroyed, and a further 1,572 partially destroyed…”
https://allafrica.com/stories/202108110195.html
“Burundi ravaged by flooding from rainfall, swollen Lake Tanganyika.
“The IOM said devastation linked to effects of heavy rain on the world’s second-deepest lake has affected Tanzania, Zambia and the DR Congo which share about 600 km of the water body… but Burundi bore the greatest brunt of the floods…”
https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/news/east-africa/burundi-ravaged-by-flooding-from-rainfall-3506324
“Turkey battles fresh disaster as floods hit country’s north. Heavy rains have triggered severe floods and mudslides in northern Turkey, killing at least one person and leaving others missing or injured, officials said.
“Helicopters scrambled to rescue people stranded on rooftops while cars were swept away in raging torrents on Wednesday.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/12/turkey-battles-fresh-disaster-as-floods-hit-countrys-north
“More Than 400,000 Cars Estimated Damaged in China’s July Flood.
“The local trade association estimates that more than 400,000 vehicles suffered water damage in last month’s flood in Zhengzhou, China. Photos show one of the lots where damaged cars have been towed. Row after row of cars, many of which will need to be discarded entirely, sit to wait out their fate.”
https://weather.com/photos/news/2021-08-11-china-flood-damaged-cars-zhengzhou
“North Korean officials inspect flood damage as more heavy rains strike coast…
“North Korea’s premier inspected areas of the country hit by floods, state media reported on Thursday, as new rounds of heavy rain struck towns along the east coast and raised concerns about damage to crops.”
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/nkorean-officials-inspect-flood-damage-more-heavy-rains-strike-coast-2021-08-12/
“Evacuation orders issued for parts of Kyushu [Japan] due to torrential rain, landslide risks…
“The maximum rainfall forecast over the 24-hour period up to 6 a.m. on Aug. 13 is 300 mm [12 inches] in the northern Kyushu region, 250 mm in southern Kyushu, 200 mm in the Shikoku region in western Japan, 180 mm in the Kinki region also in the west…”
https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20210812/p2a/00m/0na/006000c
“‘State of calamity’ declared in Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur [Philippines] due to floods.
“Persistent heavy rains and widespread flooding triggered by the enhanced southwest monsoon in the past weeks have forced the Sta. Lucia town government in Ilocos Sur province to declare a “state of calamity.””
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1472188/state-of-calamity-declared-in-sta-lucia-ilocos-sur-due-to-floods
“‘Once in 100 years’ drought seen affecting Argentine grains exports into next year…
“”This is about a once-in-a-hundred-years event. That’s the type of frequency we are looking at,” said Isaac Hankes, a weather analyst at Refinitiv, financial and risk business of Thomson Reuters.”
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/once-100-years-drought-seen-affecting-argentine-grains-exports-into-next-year-2021-08-12/
“Chile’s record-breaking drought makes climate change ‘very easy’ to see.
“A punishing, decade-long drought in Chile has gone from bad to worse due to a scorching July, a month which typically brings midwinter weather showering the capital Santiago in rain and snow.”
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/chiles-record-breaking-drought-makes-climate-change-very-easy-see-2021-08-10/
“Heat, drought and fire: how climate dangers combine for a catastrophic ‘perfect storm’ [in California]…
“Northern California’s Dixie fire this weekend swelled to become the single largest fire incident the state has ever recorded, a mammoth that has leveled mountain towns, produced flames that shot 200ft in the air, and scorched through close to 490,000 acres.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/aug/10/heat-drought-and-fire-how-climate-dangers-combine-for-a-catastrophic-perfect-storm
“Oregon declares state of emergency as another ‘extreme heatwave’ looms…
“Oregon declared a state of emergency as the Pacific north-west prepared for triple-digit temperatures mere weeks after a deadly heatwave clobbered the region. People streamed into cooling centers and misting stations on Wednesday amid sweltering heat.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/aug/11/oregon-heatwave-pacific-northwest-state-emergency
“Severe drought devastates Washington state’s wheat crop…
““This is definitely the worst crop year we have had since we started farming 35 years ago,” said Green, whose family is the sixth generation on the same farming land just south of the city of Spokane. She estimated her farm’s wheat crop this year at half of normal, and of poor quality.”
https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/severe-drought-devastates-washington-states-wheat-crop-79406669
“Tornadoes touch down in western and northeast Wisconsin as 6th straight day of violent weather pummels state.
“Violent thunderstorms were again pummeling Wisconsin on Wednesday afternoon with at least two tornadoes reported on the ground in west-central and northeast parts of the state.”
https://eu.jsonline.com/story/weather/2021/08/11/milwaukee-weather-more-severe-storms-may-slam-region-wednesday/5567225001/
“How is climate change affecting tornadoes?
“…Tornado seasons are getting more variable… Tornado outbreaks are getting larger and more frequent… Tornado Alley is shifting eastward… severe weather will become more frequent overall.”
https://www.kxan.com/weather/how-is-climate-change-affecting-tornadoes/
“Siberia burns in century’s biggest wildfire…
“Alexei Yaroshenko, a forestry expert with Greenpeace Russia, the fire was comparable to the Chinchiga Firestorm, the world’s biggest ever blaze, which is estimated to have destroyed around 6,000 square miles of forest in Canada in 1950. “[The Yakutia blaze] may well become the largest known wildfire in history,” Yaroshenko warned.”
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/siberia-burns-in-centurys-biggest-wildfire-k3cdp8szb
“What ‘Code Red’ Global Warming Means For Iceland.
“With glaciers melting and permafrost decreasing, the risk of landslides is rising. That risk is further heightened with warmer winters bringing increased rain instead of snow… Ocean acidification due to increased carbon monoxide absorbed from the atmosphere is also a major concern for Iceland considering the island’s dependence on the sea.”
https://grapevine.is/news/2021/08/10/what-code-red-global-warming-means-for-iceland/
“Tens of thousands of salmon die in Arctic chlorine leak [Norway]…
“The fish were being farmed by international seafood company Grieg Seafood and were being held in a cage at one of the company’s slaughterhouses. Chlorine is normally used to disinfect water after a slaughtering.”
https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/567221-tens-of-thousands-of-salmon-die-in-arctic-chlorine-leak
“Hermit crabs ‘sexually excited’ by toxins from plastic pollution…
“…researchers have been studying the impact of climate change and plastic pollution on marine species. They found that oleamide is not only causing sexual excitement among the crabs but is also being mistaken for food, encouraging the critters to travel in search of a meal only to discover the plastic.”
https://news.sky.com/story/hermit-crabs-sexually-excited-by-toxins-from-plastic-pollution-12377812
“Pollution damaging humans’ first line of defence against infections and toxins, review finds.
“Air and water pollution hinders the body’s ability to fight off infections and toxins, a new study has found. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich say there is a clear link between exposure to airborne or waterborne particles and several health conditions.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/pollution-climate-health-b1900027.html
“Forget doomsday — the 0.1% are already sinking millions into saving their homes from more fires and floods…
“Bunker architecture is in booming demand among the disaster-proofing 0.1%, particularly doomsday preppers who fear greater disasters than forest fires and floods. While bunkers tend to be utilitarian, apocalypse chic is becoming a thing.”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/property-and-architecture/forget-doomsday-01-already-sinking-millions-saving-homes-fires/
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.
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Today’s roundup seems particularly apocalyptic, we’re truly seeing catastrophic climate change going exponential. So much more eason to make the most of the time left and appreciate what’s left of nature, come to terms with the grief over the happening omnicide and enjoy beauty and art in all its forms.
Hang in there <3
Sage advice, Xikriw. Things do seem to be ramping up. My apologies for the delay in comments appearing after posting btw. I might change that “approval” setting.